Composition of Eggs of the Diamondback Terrapin

Abstract

Twenty-one eggs of the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin), representing 3 eggs from each of 7 clutches, were analyzed for water, lipid and lipid-free dry matter. The egg contents contained an average of 68.9% water and 8.2% lipid. Lipid constituted 26.4% of the dry weight. The average energy content of the eggs was estimated to be 2.14 kcal/g wet wt and 6.88 kcal/g dry wt. Percent water and proportion of lipid in the dry matter of the egg were largely independent of egg size. Variation in egg size within the sample was related primarily to differences between clutches. The water content of terrapin eggs is similar to, but the lipid content is much lower than, that of precocial birds. Variation in egg contents among species of reptiles indicates a need for studies relating egg composition to incubation period and the size and yolk reserves of the newly hatched young.